Tag Archive: The Grail Bloodline


QUEST 31a: ‘THE BRANDENBURG BARTRAMS…’

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April 2, 2021

What a fantastic day to finally escape into the countyside on Quest 31a, squeezed in unexpectedly as we carefully move out of lockdown. We last quested a whole year ago and due to covid restrictions all the quests have been put on hold, so it was wonderful to finally be out and about in Norfolk on the 31st March 2021!

The main subject of todays quest is the Batram Bloodline: ‘the Brandenburg Batrams’, a line and a name with many mysterious meanings, which will take us back into Europe, to Italy and Gemany in particular, on our Quest for the Grail and it’s meaning upon this earthly plane.

Bartram, Battram, Barthram, are the main surnames associated with the German origin of ‘Bertram’, which means ‘Famous Raven’. The Famous Raven is often referred to as the ‘Phoenix’. Very interesting topics of discusion and research are beginning to reveal themselves here. Brandenburg is just West of Berlin and the origins of this Bartram line.

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QUEST 31a: All Saints Church, Dickleburgh, Diss: It was a gorgeous and sunny spring day and the drive out to Norfolk could not have been better, with green shoots and leaves spurting forth with new growth, and the sound of birdsong all around these quiet country lanes. The Parish of Dickleburgh is found about 6 miles north-east from Diss, close to the Norfolk/Suffolk border. It lies on the old Roman road to Caistor St Edmunds. Dickleburgh is well serviced, with All Saints Church, a busy little village store, a pub, a large playing field and other village type amenities.

The village’s name either means ‘Dicel’s or Dicla’s fortification’, or more specifically could also mean a place-name; Dic-leah, ‘wood/clearing of Diss’ or ‘ditch wood/clearing’. The name is also said to derive from an Irish monk by the name of Dicul who had a brief settlement (burgh) in the area in the late 6th century, nothing of which survives today. Although unconfirmed, this may be the same Dicul monk quoted by the Venerable Bede (673-735) in his “Ecclesiastical History of the Anglian Nation”. He tells the story of the conversion of the South Saxons and mentions the Irish monk, Dicul, who had a small monastery in ‘Boshanhamm’, which today is Bosham in Chichester, West Sussex. Dickleburgh is part of the parish of Dickleburgh and Rushall in the county of Norfolk and District of South Norfolk.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickleburgh

The church is 500 years old and has interestingly been in the patronage of Trinity College, Cambridge since the seventeenth century. It is a grade one listed building, built around 1503 and of course a sacred site was there long before the actual building. It seemed to a very lively church, important to the community, and the folks tending the church and graveyard could not have been more helpful and freindly.

It was the Bartram line we were researching on this day, and straight away the family tombstones revealed themselves to us! <click to enlarge>

The church consists of a chancel, nave, vestry, west tower and south porch. The walls are made of flint and freestone quoins and execpt for the tower, are strengthened with buttresses.

There is a new and impressive looking organ inside and a stunningly beautiful east window containing many musical-intrument playing angels, and a transfiguration of the ascension scene plus other figures from the bible. The octagonal font is of particualar interest, especially to us, for Grail clues are hidden there…. Although what the genreal public sees are the shields of the Holy Trinty, Bury Abbey (with three crowns), the Passion, (with cross, spear, reed with sponge, nails and whip) and the blessed sacrement (with three chalices). Around the base are alternating lions and ‘wildmen’ with clubs.

Upon the ornate entrance to the church are more important and useful symbols for joining more of the dots of our quests.

The church has a lot of its original woodwork, a beautiful east window full of detail and a rather interesting screen at the end of the altar pews, upon the various plaques and lists upon the inside walls are to be found the Batram names,  and of course a very lovely and peaceful energy there. There are a few military references both in and outside the church. So what a good start to the day with much knowledge gained.

Grail Bloodline Connections:

  • Samuel Bartram 1726-1801 (7xGGF)
  • Barnabus Bartram 1795-1878 (5xGGF)
  • Henry Bartram 1826-1909 (4xGGF) Moved to Barnet, Middlesex-thus the start of the ‘London Line’

St John the Baptist Church Bressingham: Our second visit of the day was to the village and civil parish of Bressinham in Norfolk. The name Bressingham is of Anglo-Saxon origin and refers to the homestead of Briosa’s people. This town of Bressingham was given by Osulph le Sire, and the lady Laverine, or Leofrine, his wife, to the abbey of St. Edmund’s in Bury in about 963. By the time of Edward the Confessor, the abbey owned slightly more than half the town; the rest being owned by Almar, the Bishop of Elmham. Almar’s part was also a manor, and held in William the Conquerors time by Roger Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk.  The town was then two miles long, and a mile and a half broad, it extended at that time into Shimpling, Fersfield, Shelfhanger and Roydon.

Sadly we were unable to gain access to inside the church, although we could have phoned for private prayer but decided to move on. The link below has a good selection of photos for you and an interesting write up too.

http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/bressingham/bressingham.htm

The origins of the church date from around 1286; it being a medieval parish church dating mainly from the 14th and 15th centuries. It has an important set of carved pews, which probably date from he 16th century, act of mercy. The chancel is 13th century with the tower being rebuilt in the 1440s, the nave and aisles in 1480-1527; these may incorporate the 14th century very fine carved nave roof. The chancel roof is 18th century with a 19th century restoration. The important set of pews mentioned, have carved end panels in a 16th century style featuring defaced figures representing acts of mercy and deadly sins. The boxed pews are examples of 17th century woodwork.

Interestingly one of the tombs in the graveyard caught our eyes. For it had a rather Roman style and feel to it, with two pillars at each end that alluded to Boaz and Joachim. In the central area were the ‘four quarters of the sun’ something very rarely mentioned, and yet the design could also be shells – a Fisher King connection maybe and worth some more research. Also in the window of this historic church was to be found the enigmatic ‘Raven Symbol’, almost signposting the way to Germany for us….

The tomb with the Fisher King and Roman Connection <please click to enlarge>

Grail Bloodline Connections:

  • Jonathan Bartram 1699(Billingford) – 1783(Dickleford) with an association to Bressinham (8xGGF)

St Mary the Virgin Church Pulham St Mary: Now at our third church of the day, we were really enjoying being out in the sunshine, and having a lovely sense of freedom after being cooped up because of Covid for so long. However still being very safe with masks and santizers and of course always keeping our distance. Pulham Saint Mary is a small village and civil parish in Norfolk, about 8 miles from Diss. Old maps and documents name the parish or village “Pulham Saint Mary the Virgin”, the latter two words are in modern times dropped, and Saint is typically abbreviated. The earliest recorded spelling is Polleham. Pulham is referenced in the  Domesday Book as a single manor (Pulham St Mary with what is today called Pulham Market) and being part of the Earsham hundred. The name Pulham is thought to mean the farmhouse, homestead or enclosure by the pool, water meadow or stream. There is a ‘beck’ (Norfolk dialect for a small watercourse) that flows by both villages. The Romans may have had a settlement in Pulham St Mary as pieces of Roman tile, coin and oyster shells have been found in the area. In 1912 under conditions of secrecy a large base, RNAS Pulham, was constructed for the operation of airships, given the nickname locally of “Pulham Pigs”. RNAS Pulham operated as a Royal Navy base until 1918 when it was transferred to the new Royal Air Force.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulham_St_Mary

The Domesday book of 1080 mentions an Anglo Saxon church in Pulham, but there is no trace of it today. The church of St Mary the Virgin which gives the village the ‘St Mary’ of its name, is believed to date back from 1253. The parish church is of flint construction with parts that date back to the thirteenth century. It is mainly perpendicular in style, has a square tower with 8 bells, and was restored by Bodley in the late 19th century, although many of the original features still remain. The church registers date back to 1538. The impressive porch, built about 1478, was described by Nikolaus Pevsner as ‘something phenomenal’.  It is decorated with large figures of angels and other images and the pierced parapet is comparable to work at both Blythburgh and Attleborough churches.

We could not get inside the church to see the many interesting features inside, including a 15th/16th century stone font whose decoration was plastered over to prevent mutilation from Cromwell’s men and was only discovered during restoration in the late 19th century. The screen, partly medieval and partly restored, has large painted panels filled with 15th century images of the Apostles. The chancel is the oldest part of the church and contains some very important early English features including a double piscina in the south wall. It is thought to date from the 13th century and is very rare in Norfolk churches. Other notable features include the 15th century benches, a 16th century lectern and some glass dating back to the 14th century, indicating the fine windows that existed from a very early date. There is also evidence of the presence of the old Guild Chapel which once stood on the site of the present vestry. It was rebuilt in the centre of the village in 1401 and is now part of the Pennoyer Centre.

http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/pulhamstmary/pulhamstmary.htm

But of the utmost importance and relevance to us of Craft, is the famous and stunning late 15th century porch and the ‘library’ of Craft information around the porch. The tower and porch work together to create a sense of grandeur, with many ‘riddles’ intertwined there in plain sight. The porch is actually magnificent, not least because it hides within its carvings some very important Grail clues. Hidden amongs the ranks of angels on one side holding shields, and angels with musical instruments within their niches on the other, could be hidden some of the most important clues we have yet experienced. The angels on the west side play wind instruments, while those to the east play stringed instruments. Pride of place, in the spandrels of the doorway, is the Annuciation, of the highest artistic quality and in amazing condition. Also aparently the stained glass windows in the porch have clues to the Grail, which sadly i missed on this occasion…

Just look above at this amazing porch and try to unravel all the clues hidden there…. <click to enlarge – you will really want to!>

The Grail is indeed a mystery and it has been so for many centuries; over the years it has been purported to be many things, such as the son of Christ, a chalice, or vessel of some description. But the truth is, the Grail was in fact never meant to be found, so the only person who would ever find the Grail, would be the winner of all space and time! Only time and further quests will tell…. So the Grail Quest continues, not only looking for the Grail itself but for the meaning of the Grail, something that is overlooked by many. What is interesting, at the front of the porch here is a link via the artefacts and engravings, that directly link this church to a church in North-East Italy, which we hope to go to sometime within the next year – coronavirus permitting of course. So a question remains which i will leave with you, is it not so much that people are so busy living full yet shallow lives that they know nothing of the Grail or is this how things are actually meant to be and the Grail is not meant to be found….?

   

A library of info above our heads….

Grail Bloodline Connections:

  • Erasmus Bartram 1768(Pulham Market) – 1854(Dis, Norfolk) (6xGGF)

St Peter Church Billingford: This is such a very pretty area, very green and lush, very open with lots of winding lanes and small villages and today the area looked stunning, although i imagine it could be harsh in wintertime. Billingford, a village and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, about 3 1⁄2 miles north of East Dereham. The village is just north of the River Wensum, which forms the southern boundary of the parish. West of the village, between Elmham Road and the River Wensum, is the site of a Romana-British settlement. The site is unusual in having evidence that occupation continued into the early Anglo-Saxon period. Artefacts recovered from the site include a gold amulet. The Domesday Book of 1086 records the toponymas Billinge-forda. An entry for 1212 in the Boof of Fees records it as Billingeford. It is derived from Old English and means “the ford of Billa’s people”.

Lovely sentiment from the churches porch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billingford,_Breckland

https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?TNF168-Billingford-(Breckland)-(Parish-Summary)

http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/billingford/billingford2.htm

 

St Peter Church Billingford on an incline yet hidden away in a bend in the road, showing two ‘Clarke’ tomstones in the graveyard <click to enlarge>

The church is very much hidden away, standing on a hill to the north of the village and only presenting itself when almost upon it, in an interesting curve in the road. How lucky we were to find it open and to discover that it is usually always open; how wonderfully refreshing in these times. The earliest part of the church of St Peter is the baptismal font, which is 13th-century, yet the actual origins of the church are around 1300AD, and according to the records on the wall, there was a rector here in 1250, so the church is older than that. The present building is largely 14th-century, built of flint with an octagonal west tower and is a Grade 1 listed building. The tower is one of Norfolks half a dozen or so octagonal towers, with the church being mostly 14th century with a couple of later windows. Tall Victorian benches fill the middle of the nave, which although unusual is not unique, there is no central walkway, creating a different sense of feeling inside, together with the eastward slope.

 

Also unusual and much older than it looks, is the rather wonderful font with its sloping octagonal bowl and sides carved with sets of sixteen double arches. The font is said to be so old that it may even pre-date the church and have come from somewhere else or even from an earlier building on the site. Also wonderfully beautiful is the 16th century giant latten lecturn, depicting an eagle standing on an orb. Norfolk has ten of these and interestingly this is a rare unpolished one, creating a different effect to it. The east window here, showing the transfiguration has replaced a much larger one, which can be seen be the changes in the plasterwork. Sadly though there were many artifacts from the church that have ‘been lost in time’, probably do to rebellions, wars and attacks on the church, which sadly has happened a lot in the past. The whole church is very well preserved and one gets a true sense of the period, of the times, apart sadly from the artworks that have been removed. One cant help but wonder, where in the world today are all these wonderful and meaningful peices of art that have been removed from our churches. I did notice when travelling in Ireland and Europe that the churches there are still full of their wonderful and ancient peices of art that allude to a time of a much different christianity than of today and which display clues to a much deeper and maybe even darker kind of worship. An interesting thought then at why maybe ancient artworks are no longer in our churches….

In respect of the quest bloodlines, there is a ‘Charles Ford’ on the wooden wall plaque near the font; the Fords as we know eventually ended up in London. There is much original woodwork in the church and some very old carvings around the high altar, all in an amazing state of preservation and the video below shows all this up very well. The church name banner hanging at the side of the altar shows the Alpha to Omega, but also the ‘M U’ sign, taking one back to the Sumerian connection. Upon the altar i think we translated the words wrongly and it actually is “My Peace I Give Unto You”- see the photo or video and decide for your selves.

Woodwork and carvings all amazingly presevered and give an essence of ‘past time and place’

Grail Bloodline Connections:

  • Jonathan Batram 1695(Billingford) – 1783(Dickleburgh) (8xGGF)

Church of St Mary Magdalene Beetly: Beetley is a village and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk and situated four miles north of Toftwood. Beetley was part of the Manor of Elmham, held by William Beaufoe, Bishop of Thetford, with the name deriving from the two Anglo Saxon words betel and bietel, both words applying to a clearing where wooden mallets are made. Beetley was then part of the parish of Bittering Magna, however the Parish divided into Beetley and Gressenhall. Beetley was then combined together with the neighbouring parish of East Bilney in 1935.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetley

Sadly we could not gain access to the church, even though the Rectory was just next door, so a stroll around the graveyard needed to suffice. The Church is believed to be built on the site mentioned in the Doomsday Book (1087) and is dated to 1320, with it’s origins going back to 1401 AD. It is a grade 1 listed building and like many of these ancient churches, seemingly tucked away off the beaten track. The tower of the church was heightened in the 16th Century, with the north isle being demolished in the 18th century and with windows being installed in the wall. It is built of ashlar and some brick dressings. From the photos online the church looks very simple in decor inside, but apart from that without going inside it is hard to comment. In the graveyard were some tombs within cast-iron railings, one of which was a Templar grave marked by a mysterious and intriging ‘Templar Stone’ The church is said to be set on a interesting ‘Cross-Junction’ of magnetic fields, linking to the Grail and to that of Brandenburg in Germany. Sadly howerver we did not pick up on any energy at all there, so can only assume the particular ‘energy’ that was there, is now no longer so.

The fenced off graves showing the mysterious’Templar Stone…. <click to enlarge>

https://www.derehamanddistrictteam.org.uk/our-churches73257/st-mary-magdalen-beetley/

http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/beetley/beetley.htm

Grail Bloodline Connections: The connections here are that of the Grail itself and of the clues today that presented themselves to us, guiding us on our forthcoming journey and quest to Germany and Italy, where can jin some more of those hidden dots…..

 

For more info and footage from the day please see our youtube link 🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdbbwNYJQhg

To those of us whom are observant, especially of Craft, feathers can often appear out of nowhere, bringing deep and profound messages from the angelic realms, whom are always watching, always observing…

🌹⚜⚔🌹

April 2021 The Quests continue….

‘The Keeper of Scrolls’

<moon.willow@ntlworld.com>

 

 

 

 

 

 

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QUEST 31: ARTHUR’S TABLE: PART TWO

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September 13, 2020

QUEST 31 CONT: “Still very much walking in Arthur’s footsteps and continuing our quest for the grail in the magical and beautiful south-west lands of England, we left our apartment in Roman Cirencester on Sunday 2nd of August to travel in a southerly direction towards Plymouth, yet with lots of exciting stops along the way. This day was to take us even nearer to Arthur and The Grail”

‘WHAT DID RALPH LEAVE BEHIND?’     

DAY THREE: SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST: ST MARY REDCLIFFE CHURCH. REDCLIFFE BRISTOL.  

Framed by the River Avon and the Floating Harbour, Redcliffe is a bustling commercial hub. It is home to ancient landmarks such as the medieval, Gothic-style St. Mary Redcliffe Church, an anglican church and one of the largest parish churches in England, with its with stained-glass windows and 18th-century ironwork, residential tower blocks and the port of Bristol. It is bounded by the loop of the Floating Harbour to the west, north and east, together with the New Cut of the River Avon to the south.nn Redcliffe takes its name from the red sandstone cliffs which line the southern side of the Floating Harbour. These cliffs are honey-combed with tunnels, known as the Redcliffe Caves, constructed both to extract sand for the local glass making industry and to act as store houses for goods. Interesting to us, in the 12th century, Robert Fitzroy gave the Knights Templar part of Redcliffe, which then became known as Temple Fee. The Templars were granted the power to hold courts and execute felons. This right passed, along with the fee, to the Knights of St John of Jerusalem after the suppression of the Templars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redcliffe,_Bristol

The parish church of  St Mary Redcliffe is an impresive looking church within a setting of green grounds; it is one of Bristol’s best known churches, with the spire at a height of 292 ft (90m) making it the tallest building in the city, and one of the largest parish churches in England, yet sadly on the day we visited, the church was well and truly locked to all visitors. Whether this was due to corona virus or whether it was the policy to keep G-d’s door so unwelcoming is anyone’s guess, but either way the small amount of pilgrims and visitors would pose no threat at all and if the reason was not because of the virus, one does have to question why such an important church would be so locked?

The church itself is an Anglican parish church, the building being constructed from the 12th to 15th centuries and has been a place of Christian worship for over 900 years. It was famously described by Queen Elizabeth I, who spoke highly of the church, as “the fairest, goodliest, and most famous parish church in England”. Yet the mystery of our quest remains of just what was ‘left behind’? Little is left of the earliest churches on the site although a little of the fabric still remaining has been dated to the 12th century. Much of the current building dates from the late 13th and 14th centuries when it was built and decorated by wealthy merchants of the city. The spire fell after being struck by lightning in 1446 and was not rebuilt until 1872. Although the church plan dates from an earlier period, much of the church as it now stands was built between 1292 and 1370 and the first church was built in Saxon times. Obviously there would have been some fascinating artifacts to see, but sadly today we were unable to enter this church.

During the Bristol Blitz in the Second World war a bomb exploded in a nearby street, throwing a rail and tram from the tramway over the houses and into the churchyard of St Mary Redcliffe, where the rail became embedded in the ground. The rail is left there as a monument. An accompanying memorial plaque reads “On Good Friday 11th April this tram-line was thrown over the adjoining houses by a high explosive bomb which fell on Redcliffe Hill. It is left to remind us how narrowly the church escaped destruction in the war 1939-45.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary_Redcliffe

St Mary Redcliffe – important yet sadly very closed…. <please click on image to enlarge>

GRAIL BLOODLINE CONNECTIONS:  

  • Earl Ralph Neville: 1364 Raby Durham (16 x GGF)  “What did Ralph leave behind?”
  • Queen Elizabeth 1st spoke highly of this church.

‘FROM LEFT TO RIGHT’

BRISTOL CATHEDRAL BRISTOL:

Bristol is a city in south-west England with a population of 463,400, between Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south, with South Wales just across the Severn Estuary. Iron Age hill forts and Roman villas were built near the confluence of the rivers Frome and Avon, and also around the beginning of the 11th century, the settlement was known as Brycgstow “the place at the bridge”. Bristol was a starting place for early voyages of exploration to the New World and on a ship out of Bristol in 1497 John Cabot, a Venetian became the first European to land on mainland North America. At the height of the Bristol slave trade from 1700 to 1807, more than 2,000 slave ships carried an estimated 500,000 people from Africa to slavery in the Americas. The Port of Bristol has since moved to the Severn Estuary at Avonmouth and Royal Portbury Dock. Bristol’s modern economy is built on the creative media, electronics and the aerospace industries, and the city-centre docks have been redeveloped as centres of heritage and culture.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol

BRISTOL CATHEDRAL: formally the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Bristol. Founded in 1140 and consecrated in 1148, it was originally St Augustine’s Abbey but after the  Dissolution of the Monastries it became in 1542, the seat of the newly created Bishop of Bristol and the cathedral of the new Diocese of Bristol. It is a Grade I listed building and as with many of our cathedrals, stunning to look at both inside and out inside, but all spirituality or sacred energies long dissapated. Covid restrictions were very much applying here, so visitor numbers limited yet sadly the visitors whom were there, were unacknowlegded by the clergy there….

In a beautiful setting and ‘Covid ready’ <please click to enlarge>

The eastern end of the church includes fabric from the 12th century, with the Elder Lady Chapel, which was added in the early 13th century. Much of the church was rebuilt in the English Decorated Gothic style during the 14th century despite financial problems within the abbey. In the 15th century the transept and central tower were added. The nave was incomplete at the Dissolution in 1539 and was demolished, but in the 19th century Gothic Revival, a new nave was built. The western twin towers, showing a big similarity with Wells Cathedral in Somerset, designed by John Loughborough Pearson were completed in 1888. The cathedral has tall Gothic windows and in addition to the cathedral’s architectural features, it contains several memorials and an historic organ. Little of the original stained glass remains, some being replaced in the Victorian Era with further losses during the Bristol Blitz.

Stunning to look at yet no spirituality left… <please click to enlarge>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Cathedral

GRAIL BLOODLINE CONNECTIONS:

  • Sir Ralph Neville : 1301 Raby (18 x GGF) ‘From left to right’

“WHAT CONNECTIONS?”

THE NINE MAIDENS STONE CIRCLE/BELSTONE STONE CIRCLE. BELLSTONE. OKEHAMPTON. After the heat and sterile enviroment of the city i was pleased to be driving all the way to Dartmoor where i knew great adventures and true spirituality would great me. Dartmoor has always had a place in my heart and although it was a long drive, it was a relaxing and enjoyable drive through gorgeous scenery and pretty villages. This was to be the highlight of the day by any mile! When we reached Belstone village it was quite a little trek upwards and over the moors to gain access to the circle and one had to take one’s time, but the steady walk was enjoyable and well worth it. There was hardly anyone around and the few folks whom were there were chatty but did not linger. The sacred energies and earth magnetics are very evident and strong here; the St Michael Ley Line runs right through the circle or rather the stone circle was purposefully placed upon the ley line; the frequencies are very strong here and at times felt as if time was truly standing still and the stones breathing…. A powerful place on so many levels, the day being full of revelations…..

The Belstone Circle – full of magic and mystery <click to enlarge>

The Nine Maidens, is a Bronze Age stone circle and settlement located near the village of Belstone on Dartmoor, in Devon, and one can still see evidence of the settlement in the landscape all around the circle, and yet it was so much more than that. It is also known as the Seventeen Brothers, for there were in actual fact seventeen stones, including an altar stone, just outside the main circle; in these days is no longer complete. It is said that the circle may have been called the ‘nine maidens’ due to the origins of the number nine and to the connections of the site of the number nine, ie the ninth, the ‘hidden one‘. The number nine in sacred geometry from a Ninansian perspective (grammer and language) means ‘the hidden one’. The number nine has many magical or occult meanings such as the ninth gate, the nine stones, the nine maidens, the nine ships, the nine battles. All relating to the ‘hidden one’, the secret underlying knowledge of Craft. Folks whom are astute and tuned in will certainly pick up on this while visiting the circle and will feel the energies for themselves. And of course there are secrets hidden there that maybe no one in our life times will ever know, things forever hidden from the current cycle of mankind. The stones here are so much more significant than Stonehenge or Avebury yet are almost deserted so maybe the curse is working and is in actual fact a blessing? Special mention to, to the ‘Burial Chamber’ and ‘Devonium’

The stones here are so much more significant than Stonehenge or Avebury<click to enlarge>

There are many folklore tales attached to the stones and despite the fallen stones of the past, the locals are said to be apprehensive of restoration work, believing that anyone whom tampers with the stones will be cursed. Locals cite a film crew which added an extra stone to the circle in 1985; the ‘curse’ was the unfortunate loss of the only copy of the film, ‘The Circle of Doom’, in the post. The St Michael’s ley line, which runs 350 miles from Lands End to Hopton on Sea, Norfolk, via Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, is one of our points of study and focus on this quest, and runs right through the Nine Maidens. This ley-line goes through many sites dedicated to St Michael, such as St Michael’s Tower on Glastonbury Tor, with the line matching the sunrise on 8 May when the Catholic Church celebrated the apparition of St Michael. Local folklore too suggests that the stones dance: The stone circles on Dartmoor, are said to have been made “when there were wolves on the hills, and winged serpents in the low lands.” On the side of Belstone Tor, near Okehamton is a small grave circle called “Nine Stones.” It is said to dance every day at noon. The stones are also said to have originally been nine maidens who were cast into stone and damned to dancing every noon for eternity as a punishment for dancing on the Sabbath. Equally, the story has involved seventeen brothers. It is also said that the ringing of the nearby church bells brings them to life.

The Altar Stone and Burial Chamber <click to enlarge>

From our point of view, from a Craft and Quest point of view this is said to be a far more important site in the true tellings of King Arthur, of Lancelot Desposyni and the Fordham line, than even Tintagel, which is a bit of a very big red herring. Also we know that in the distant past the site has in actual fact been used as a burial chamber – yet for whom, being far enough above sea level to be placed forever safe in this realm. I was very reluctant to be leaving the moors and the stones behind after our visit.  So it was a sad farewell and heavy heart i felt in leaving this wild magical beauty behind me to travel to pastures anew. I attained new knowledge up on those moors and felt the energies of the land shift and change, felt time stand still as vibrations pulsed, and dimensions shifted. I felt acknowledged as a part of a whole. Up on the moors, the energies were very strong; a place where the metaphysical truly connected to the physical and whispers on the winds told a hidden tale or two and for those whom would love another clue there is a big connection here to our forthcoming Iceland Quest!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Maidens_stone_circle

GRAIL BLOODLINE CONNECTIONS:

  • Sir John H. Fordham: 1423 Kelshall Hertfordshire (18 x GGF) ‘What Connections?’

And so after a magical end to day three of Quest 31 we made our way towards our very posh apartment at Phoenix Quay, Plymouth where we would be spending the next three nights. The apartment overlooking the harbour and night ferry terminus to Spain treated us to some lovely views and sunsets from its huge windows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHEFtsG5tjE

Please enjoy our (very windy!) video of Belstone Circle

 

“Onwards then as our quest continued, to Buckland near Plymouth, Brentnor near Tavistock, Tideford near Saltash, Talland Bay near Loo, Charles Town near St Austell, Trevone near Padstow and Temple near Bodmin. Not all would be opened to us but the ‘jewel in the crown’ would prove to be the amazing Temple Church on Bodmin…”

 

A poem illustrating the folklore surrounding the stones is recorded in ‘The Witchcraft and Folklore of Dartmoor’ (although some say it could be referring to another stone circle)

And now at every Hunter’s Moon
That haggard cirque of stones so still
Awakens to immortal thrill
And seven small maidens in silver shoon
Twixt dark of night and white of day
Twinkle upon the sere old heath
Like living blossoms in a wreath
Then shrink again to granite grey
So blue-eyed Dian shall ever dance
With Linnette. Bethkin, Jennifer
Arisa, Petronell and Nance.

 

‘The Keeper of Scrolls’ September 2020

‘moon.willow@ntlworld.com’

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QUEST 31: ARTHUR’S TABLE: PART ONE

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September 4, 2020

‘Our Grail Quest Continues, seeking out the places in these lands that were important to ‘Arthur’ and ‘Lancelot’; following in their footsteps and knowing them and their journeys too…’

QUEST 31: Travelling around the beautiful lands of the south-west was amazing and was everything we had hoped it would be, despite the very intense heat, and being so thankful for air conditioning in the car, our quest was a triumph where much knowledge was assimilated and new places explored. All the apartments stayed in whilst journying had been more than up to scratch and the places visited and knowledge gained has been second to non. As said before, our quests are all for an ultimate purpose within the transitioning sphere of time; past, present and future becoming one as knowledge gainrd becomes personal power…

DAY ONE: FRIDAY 31ST JULY: CIRENCESTER:  With the boundaries of Cambridge left miles behind us, we escaped to the first destination of our quest; the tranquill beauty of Cirencester, a market town in Gloucestershire, 80 miles west of London. Cirencester lies on the  River Churn, a tributary of the Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswolds. The Roman name for the town was Corinium which is thought to have been associated with the ancient British tribe of the Dobunni, having the same root word as the River Church. The earliest known reference to the town was by Ptolemy in AD 150. I had never been to Cirencester before and it was much prettier and older than i was expecting, and had a most definite ‘Roman’ feel to it, and the ‘energies’ there reminded me of Autun in France.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirencester

 

The Roman town of Corinium, now known as Cirencester <click to enlarge>

“FOUND HIS HEART IN JOHN”

CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST:  Sadly closed due to the virus; a situation that was to follow us around on this quest, we never the less did what we needed to do… The church is a medieval Church of England parish church, and is the largest in Gloucestershire.  Some parts date from the 12th century, though most is from the 15th and 16th centuries, of the perpendicular gothic style. The chancel is the oldest part of the church; construction starting around 1115. To the north of the chancel is St Catherines Chapel, which dates from around 1150 and contains a wall painting of St Christopher carrying the Christ child and vaulting given by Abbot John Hakebourne (whom liked to be simply called John), in 1508. The church was originally part of a monastery (Augustinian), founded here by Henry I in 1117, on the site of an earlier Saxon church replacing an ancient Roman settlement. Because of its size, grandeur and historical importance, the church is known, informally, as the Cathedral of the Cotswolds, and is constructed out of the local yellowish Cotswold limestone, which illuminates lovely in the sun.

Besides the tall tower, the exterior is also notable for the south porch, originally a separate, administration building, connected to the church in the 18th century. The church interior includes five chapels and an assortment of historical artefacts including a 14th century font, a 15th century pulpit, fragments of wall paintings, coats of arms, a collection of tombs and memorials, often very ornate, and the Anne Boleyn cup, given by Anne to a local doctor (Richard Master) who treated her, and presented to the church in 1561. Sadly non of these artifacts did we see due to the church being closed but we took some good exterior photos.

St John the Baptist Church Cirencester <please click to enlarge>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._John_the_Baptist,_Cirencester

https://www.uksouthwest.net/gloucestershire/church-of-st-john-baptist-cirencester/

Grail Bloodline Connections:

‘UNDERSTOOD THE ROMAN CONNECTION’

THE ROMAN AMPHITHEATRE: Just a short drive from the main town centre is to be found the wonderful Roman Amphitheatre, which would become in time, the second largest in the UK. Archeological digs have uncovered earthworks revealing the outline of the construction, with the banking reaching 25 feet from the bottom of the arena. The arena itself is approximately 150 feet by 135 feet. Roman artefacts including coins and pottery have been discovered on the site. It is estimated that it was constructed towards the beginning of the 2nd century. The earthworks show evidence of tiered wooden seating, for around 8000 people, placed upon a terraces of stone, although a timber only structure may have existed before the 2nd century. There are two entrances, located at the North-Eastern and South-Western ends of the stadium. During the 5th century, when the Western Roman Empire was under attack and soldiers returned to Rome to defend it, the amphitheatre was fortified to defend against the invading Saxons. Unlike other amphitheatres, it is aligned in parallel to the streets of the town itself. It has also been referred to as the ‘Bull Ring’ due to the ‘sport’ of bull baiting taking place there; yet also ‘human sport’ would have taken place there too. It also has one or two other secrets hidden in plain sight within the arena itself; the Romans of course understanding completely the geo-magnetics of this site…

Corinium’s Amphitheatre <plese click to enlarge>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirencester_Amphitheatre

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/cirencester-amphitheatre/history/

‘See our video below for a trip to the Roman Amphitheatre’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKjdx036OHA

GRAIL BLOODLINE CONNECTIONS:

  • James Fordham: 1697 Ware Herts (9 x GGF) ‘Understood the Roman Connection’

So after a very long and busy day we had a lovely meal and coffee in Cirencester, using the (then) new phone scanning method of ordering and paying, before retiring to our very nice apartment for the night.

DAY TWO: SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST: BATH AND AVEBURY. Because of the restrictions of covid we had booked in a time slot for the Roman Baths in the beautiful Roman city of Bath which in many ways is not unlike Cambridge. Bath is the largest city in Somerset, known for and named after the Roman-built baths.  The city became a spa  known as Aquae Sulis (“the waters of Sul”) c. 60 AD when the Romans built baths and a temple in the valley of the River Avon, although  hot springs were known even before then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath,_Somerset

‘OF SECRET MEETINGS’

THE ROMAN BATHS: It was an extremly hot day and we were so greatful to be queing in the shade of the baths entrance, albeit only for a short while. Navigating the labyrinth of the baths proved to be very challenging due to covid distancing, and although it meant only a few people in any one space at any one time, it did mean movement around the baths was very slow. The baths are very well-preserved and certainly worth a visit. A temple was constructed on the site between 60-70CE in the first few decades of Roman Britain and its presence led to the development of the small Roman settlement known as Aquae Sulis, around the site. The Roman baths, designed for public bathing were used until the end of the Roman rule in Britain in the 5th Century CE. According to the Anglo Saxon Chronocle, the original Roman baths were in ruins a century later but the area around the natural springs was redeveloped several times during the Early and Late Middle Ages. Although i have visited the Roman Baths before, they never cease to amaze me and I wondered upon, what meetings and social occasions must have been held here; many a secret assignations too… Some even say that this was the place where secret meetings were held with King Henry VI himself, in the year 1459 – what were these meetings about i wonder. A hot sacred spring fed from below ground, the Penyquick fault, where ‘fault lines’ hold their own secrets too, looked very inviting…. This was also a place of worship by the Celts, so always sacred and special throughout the years.

The amazing Roman Baths, where new bathing areas are still being discovered were a place of social activity and shall we say ‘fun’ and where a hot spring bubbles up an from underground fault <please click on an image to enlarge>

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Baths_(Bath)

https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/

GRAIL BLOODLINE CONNECTIONS: Barron George Neville: 1440 Aberganveny (14 xGGF) ‘Of secret meetings’

“A MEETING HELD IN SECRET”   “A SECRET TO TELL”

BATH ABBEY & ST THOMAS a BECKET CHURCH: Both sites over time would have had many secrets to keep and maybe keen ears overhearing secrets whispered in the pews would have vowed never to tell. One of these meetings held in secret at Bath Abbey was with a king with Jacobs Ladder upon their lips, a meeting so to ‘enhance’ the Ladder, but sadly today due again to ‘Miss Rona’ and social distancing, entry into the Abbey was via a very long queue in sweltering sunshine, which was not possible to do. The abbey is a parish church of the Church of England and a former Benedictine monastery, but the Benedictine community was dissolved in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It was founded in the 7th century and was re-organised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries; major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbery Scott in the 1860s. It is one of the largest examples of Perpendicular Gothic Architecture in the West Country. Although we were unable to enter in we made notes of the important features of both ‘Jacobs Ladder’ and also the ‘Tree of Life’, both very significant on a Craft level, upon both sides of the entrance to the Abbey.

 

Bath Abbey showing ‘Jacobs Ladder’ and the ‘Tree of Life’ <please click to enlarge>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_Abbey

  • GRAIL BLOODLINE CONNECTIONS: Barron George Neville: 1440 Abergaveny (14 x GGF). ‘A meeting held in secret’ (with a king, so to enhance Jacob’s Ladder)

Sadly in respect of St Thomas Church, tucked away on a quite hillside just outside the main centre of Bath (blink and you would miss it) in a very peaceful spot, we yet again found G-ds doors well and truly locked, so lovely exterior photos were all we could manage. St Thomas à Becket Church is a parish church of  Widcombe, Bath and is one of a number of churches named after Thomas Becket and a Grade II listed building. The church was built between 1490 and 1498 by John Cantlow, Prior of Bath Abbey and took the place of an older Norman church. However, there was a common tradition that a weaver was the founder of the church, and an escutcheon bearing a weaver’s shuttle can be seen on the outside of one of the north battlements of the tower. It is believed that there was originally a Saxon chapel on the site. The church was commonly called Old Widcombe Church and used to be the principal church of the parishes of Widcombe and Lyncombe. The Domesday survey of 1086 shows a small settlement around the church although no trace of it remains. the wardens of St Thomas’s. |We know too that St Thomas a Becket was murdered by followers of King Henry 11.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Thomas_%C3%A0_Becket_Church,_Widcombe

https://www.batharchives.co.uk/cemeteries/st-thomas-%C3%A0-becket-and-st-marks-widcombe

St Thomas Church where there are writings hidden within this church <please click to enlarge>

GRAIL BLOODLINE CONNECTIONS:

  • Barron Edward Neville: 1518 Newton Somerset (12 x GGF) ‘A secret to tell’
  • St Thomas Beckett: Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162; murdered by followers of King Henry II in 1170

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket

‘UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF A COLLECTION’

AVEBURY STONE CIRCLE: Thought by many to have ‘pagan’ connections, this enigmatic site may in fact have other secrets to tell, other stories hidden firmly away in time with similarities to other significant sites recently visited and connecting to our Craft Quests. Here at Avebury in the beautiful countryside of Wiltshire, important messages were given and recieved (for me), messages that will change my outlook for ever and will forever have far reaching effects (for me) in this physical world. Of course i had been to Avebury on a few occasions before for different reasons, but this time with fresh eyes wide open i saw a very different Avebury indeed, and those marvelous structures whispered a few secrets to me of past times, past ocurences and past peoples. Avebury Stone circle in Wiltshire, contains the largest megalithic stone circle in the world and is a place of many pilgrimages and rituals alike, for modern day pagans. Yet it’s history does not connect to the pagan world or pagan ways and is certainly not what it is commonly thought to be, even though many say its original purpose is unknown – however the purpose and history is know to folks of Craft… It was constructed in a different time period than is usually thought; the following link is here for reference only, and the true history and purpose of the site is different than many previously think. It was a lovely day out and the structures were shimmering in the sunshine.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/avebury/

Avebury: modelled to be ‘The Stones of Time’ (see our Iceland Quest for more on ‘the stones of time’) being created in 3,000 BC (5K years ago) <please click to enlarge>

GRAIL BLOODLINE CONNECTIONS:

  • Sir John H. Fordam: 1423 Kelshal Hertfordshire 918 x GGF) ‘Understood the importance of a collection’

‘Watch our video of our Quest so far: the round up with lots of interesting facts’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdVNWRNvFnQ

“A day where more pieces of the Grail puzzle fell into place and a time and history previously thought known was scattered as ashes to the sands of time”

“The Keeper of Scrolls” September 2020

‘moon.willow@ntlworld.com’

Next: Day three and four: On the Dartmoor trail…..

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WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF KING ARTHUR: DAY TWELVE & THIRTEEN

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March 25, 2020

THE GRAIL QUEST

” Even in our modern times, the Grail still represents hope to people, yet still remains something unattainable, something still very much an enigma. Many of the tales trace it, as a vessel, back to Joseph of Arimathea, whom it was said collected Jesus’s blood from the cross and whom was said to have bought it to England. Yet as already stated, the lineage of the grail goes back to much earlier times,  and as we already know, we can discount the tales of a challice collecting blood from the cross, for we know the crucifixion tales to be untrue. Yet if Joseph was of the ‘pure bloodline’, which Templar knowledge indicates he was, the tales take on another meaning, Over time many and various churches and religions have claimed different successions and connections to the Grail and there are claimed to be many ‘resting places’ for the Grail, some believable, some not, but of course that does depend on what the Grail actually is. It could be resting/hiding within Time itself (within a ‘cloak of time’), maybe hidden in secret underground chambers of sacred buildings, kept watch over by guardians. Some say it found its way to Scotland and has a connection to the enigmatic Neville family whom may have guarded over it themselves.  Mary too, is said to be connected to it, in her own right and through her relationship with Jesus, and she too found her own way to Scotland. Lots of accounts refer to the blood of Christ or the flesh/DNA of Christ as being of pure blood, of being the Grail, and Christ certainly knew and kept the secrets to his grave.  So, did Christ possess the Grail or was it the ‘knowledge’ of the Grail he possessed? If Lucifer’s secret is the Holy Grail, that would certainly mean that Christ/Jesus/Lucifer knew the secret; that unattainable secret of the Holy Grail.”

QUEST 28: FRANCE, DUNKIRK & BELGUIM

12TH  NOVEMBER 2019

After three great days in La Boussac, our amazing trip was almost over and we left France to begin our journey towards Belguim via Dunkirk. Luckily yet again the sun was shining and it was a gorgeous Autumn day when we set forth. We journeyed all the way from the south of France up to Dunkirk and i managed to take some quite good shots on the way.  The drive was interesting and very scenic and the weather was good.  It was a long journey, of gorgeous autumn colours, dramatic skies and an amazingly huge suspension bridge that crossed a wide, wide estuary somewhere along the route. It was very windy and high up so not all lanes were open. The nearer we got to England though, the more horrid the weather became, settling down later.

Our last big road trip of the quest taking us out of France, towards Belguim, Dunkirk and back to good old Blighty! That bridge was so high and scary in the windy conditions – much higher than it looks! <click to enlarge>

Catholique Collegiale Notre-Dame-de-la-Crypte a Cassel: Cassel France: Quite late in the day we arrived here at Cassel, France. It had become quite chilly now and was getting dark, but there were shops still open and folks around, so we had a nice stroll and bought in supplies for when we reached our digs.

Cassel, from the Dutch meaning Kassel is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Built on a prominent hill overlooking French Flanders, the town has existed since Roman times. It was developed by the Romans into an important urban centre and was the focus of a network of roads, which are still in use today, that converge on the hill. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Cassel became an important fortified stronghold for the rulers of Flanders which was repeatedly fought over before finally being annexed to France in the 17th century. It was the headquarters of Marshal Ferdinand Foch during part of the First World War. In 1940, during the German invasion of France, Cassel was the scene of a fierce three-day battle between British forces and German forces which resulted in much of the town being destroyed. Today the town, which was rebuilt following the war, is a popular destination for visitors to French Flanders.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassel,_Nord

As the hour was late and the skies darkening, we half expected the church to be closed and spent dilligent time wandering around the seemingly closed building until at last we found a way in via the big stiff old wooden doors! Our efforts were well worth it as the church is beautiful inside and like a lot of these seemingly plain on the outside churches, what greets one inside is often amazing!

Sadly i could not find much on the internet in English about the churches history apart from a few lines from the above link, so most of my comments are from pure observation. The Collégiale Notre-Dame de la Crypte is Cassel’s main church, built in brick. Parts date from the 11th century but the main part is a 16th-century  Gothic structure of a design known as a hallekerk or hall-church, peculiar to Flanders and Artois. It comprises a huge rectangular space with three gables, three aisles, three apses and a square tower over the transept.

Many interesting symbols inside the church & the  ‘All Seeing Eye’ is prominent, together with relevant heraldry & shields. Some beautiful windows are here too & ornate artworks. A nice feel to the church connecting to the Desposyni bloodline.

Grail Bloodline Connections:

  • Galains Desposyni (48th GGF) 480-551, born in Sommant, with Grail connections.
  • Nascien Desposyni(49th GGF) 450-494, born in Sommant, with Grail connections.

The hour was late, dark and very wet when we arrived in Dunkirk and visability in respect of driving was very confusing. We were staying right in the middle of Dunkirk, near the river, in a very built up area with  lots of traffic lights, bus lanes and one way systems. It took us several tries to find a way out of the one-way system in order to reach our apartment – which we could see but not actually get too! Well done to my dear driver though for his persistence and patience! Tomorrow we are venturing into Belgium.

St Peter’s Church, De Panne, Belgium: So the day had arrived – Friday 8th November and the last day of this amazing quest and fabulous road trip. We found the church fairly easily and it looked quite inviting and very well maintained from the outside with planted flowers and a nod to it’s fishing history by way of the historic fishing vessel outside. However once we gained access and got inside through the main doorway, it was dissapointing to find a vast and very locked glass screen acoss the entrance barring any access into the rest of the church. So sadly the only photos i have are of the outside and taken through the glass screen. A shame as there were very relevant artefacts and info to be seen there. Based on a design by the Veurne-based architect Joseph Vinck, this aisled neo-Gothic hall church in yellow brick was built in 1891, at a time when De Panne was still a fishing hamlet of Adinkerke and a chapel built circa 1878 stood on this site. The tower was added in 1936, by which time the church was no longer located in the centre of town due to the construction of the Dumont Quarter.

St Peter’s Church, De Panne showing the historic fishing vessel <click to enlarge>

De Panne is the westernmost Belgian coastal town, sharing a border with France. It has a population of almost 10.800 people. Its history is closely linked with Adinkerke, nowadays a small village, situated about 3 kilometres from the sea.  The situation used to be reversed, for during the late 18th century, De Panne was part of the larger parish and municipality of Adinkerke. Because of the growing importance of coastal tourism from the late 19th century on, De Panne eventually transformed into a larger town than Adinkerke, beoming independent in 1911.  Originally De Panne was primarily a fishing place, founded in 1783. The fisheries, especially the small herring fisheries close to the coast, in De Panne flourished from the middle of the 19th century, and the fishing community steadily grew. Around the turn of the century, a number of shipyards were active in De Panne, while several small fish smoke houses were also present in the village. By courtesy of the local history and heritage club ‘De Panneboot P1′, the town possesses one of the last traditional inshore fishing vessel of the Flemish coast, also named the ‘Panneboot P1’. The vessel is an example of a ‘pannekotter’, the smaller successor of the famous ‘pannepot’, now on display in front of the Saint Peter’s Church of De Panne. On occasion, the ‘Panneboot P1’ still sails and from time to time, the ship is used for educational purposes

http://www.coastalwiki.org/wiki/Fisheries_in_De_Panne

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Panne

Very selective views through the huge secured glass panel

Grail Bloodline Connection:

  • Associated with King Marcomer (51st GGF) 387-458 Cologne, Germany.

Sadly, our very last day of this wonderful experience has come upon us all too soon. Lots of pieces of a very large puzzle to ponder over and put together but it will all be revealed in time, as they say. We have visited amazing places and met many folks – some friendly, some not, sadly often ‘church’ folks were not welcoming, but that’s for another day.

Saint Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium: When we arrived in Ghent it was certainly a lovely day and the city was full of life with lots of hustle, bustle and energy; trams and buses busily swung around the narrow city streets. Ghent is a city and a  municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in size by Brussels and Antwerp. The city originally started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie and in the Late Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe, with some 50,000 people in 1300. It is a port and university city. Around 650, Sain Amand founded two abbeya in Ghent: St Peter’s and St Bavo’s. Around 800,  Louis the Pious, of   Charleymagne, appointed Finhard, the biographer of Charlemagne, as abbot of both.  The city grew from several nuclei, the abbeys and a commercial centre. However, both in 851 and 879, the city was plundered by the Vikings. Within the protection of the County of Flanders, the city recovered and flourished from the 11th century, growing to become a small city-state By the 13th century, Ghent was the biggest city in Europe north of the Alps after Paris, bigger than Cologne or Moscow. Within the city walls lived up to 65,000 people.  Lots about Ghent in the link below:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghent

 The main city square of Ghent; full of life with lots of shops and resturants nearby!

The Saint Bavo Cathedral, also known as Sint-Baafs Cathedral, an 89-meter-tall Catholic Gothic Cathedral is the seat of the dioces of Ghent, is named for Saint bavo of Ghent and contains the well-known Ghent Altarpiece. It is built on the site of the former Chapel of St. John the Baptist, a primarily wooden construction that was consecrated in 942 by Transmarus,  Bishop of Tournai and Noyon. Traces of a later Romanesque structure can be found in the cathedral’s crypt. Construction of the Gothic church began around 1274. Continuous expansion, in he Gothic style were carried out from the 14th through 16th centuries. In 1539, as a result of the rebellion against Charles V, who was baptized in the church, the old Abbey of St. Bavo was dissolved. Its abbot and monks went on to become canons in a Chapter that was attached to what then became the Church of Saint Bavo. When the Diocese of Ghent was founded in 1559, the church became its Cathedral and construction was considered complete June 7, 1569. Sadly in the summer of 1566, bands of Calvinist iconoclasts visited Catholic churches in the Netherlands, shattering stained-glass windows, smashing statues, and destroying paintings and other artworks they perceived as idolatrous. However, the altarpiece by the Van Eycks was saved. It was a beautiful looking cathedral but sadly yet again had lost much of its ‘energy’, not helped by the negative attitude of one of its human ‘religous’ helpers, trying to bar me from taking a photo of a sheild relevant to our quest. A beautiful building with many stunning works of art, but sadly with no actual spirituality…

There were some stunning marble memorial carvings that made good use of the skull imagery. There were some beautiful oil paintings, along with relevant Craft/Quest related heraldry and sheilds <click to expand>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Bavo%27s_Cathedral,_Ghent

Grail Bloodline Connection:

  • Bloodline connection associated with King Marcomer (51st GGF) 387-458 Cologne, Germany.

All that remained now was just one more view from our apartment window aside the river in Dunkirk before setting out on the road again in the morning and back home to the UK via the channel tunnel!

“On this epic journey we experienced the different energies of many lands as we followed in the footsteps of King Arthur around Europe and found out that churches are not what they seem;  I also found an amazing light inside me that I never want to dim. Putting aside the spiritual aspect of our quest and all the knowledge gained for a moment, this was the most amazing road trip ever. We journeyed through 6 countries including the uk; the experience of a road trip is mind-expanding in itself; an experience that I fully embraced. So that was it; an amazing quest fullfilled and I for one cannot wait until our next adventure.

Many of you have followed our quests since the very beginning and have read my in-depth write-ups on these pages, so have a good idea of what the quests are all about and why. It is always from a physical, spiritual and more importantly a metaphysical purpose that we partake of these quests and now we have bought ‘the grail’ into the mix.

The buildings we visit are built on very sacred sites, yet it is not the buildings as such, as to why we are there. The sites are of sacred, pyramid energy; the buildings atop have come and gone over the centuries, leaving no clues in the buildings since, as to their purpose and real reason within the rhyme of time; except of course to those whom can decode the symbols. The churches could be describes as ‘markers’ in time and space.

The quest, the King Arthur quest, traces his journey to these sites, it was his quest then, just as it is our important quest now; a journey of learning sacred knowledge, that has often been hidden within very time and the landscape itself. But yet most importantly never told of in history, yet the links are now appearing, like the colours of a magic painting book when the water is added, for when knowledge and understanding is added to our life, magically the truth appears.

We have visited many pyramid sites, some where the earth magnetis were so strong, that the so-called ‘sat-nav’ (which works via earth-based communications anyway), was caused to spin around in circles; going crazy due to the pyramid energy. The energy can often be overwhelming causing one to lose balance and feel a bit ‘woozy’ at times until one tunes into it and finds one’s balance. There is always so much more to space and time than meets the eye.”

DSC09853

“The Keeper of Scrolls” March 2020

‘moon.willow@ntlworld.com’

The Knights of the Red Order

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WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF KING ARTHUR: DAY NINE & TEN

Filed under: The Quests — Leave a comment
March 14, 2020

THE GRAIL QUEST

“Our scriptures hint at the fact that the Grail is associated with the Holy or ‘pure’ blood lineages, such as that of the Ninasians, or the Nevilles, as in coming from heaven and that the Grail Kingship, the Holy Knights, ‘the’ Jesus, the Apostles, The Templars, all had an understanding of the Grail; a connection within time and space. The Templar Knights are often known as the Grail custodians or guardians, so would that make the Knights of the Round Table and Jesus and his disciples guardians of it too? The Grail is said to equal purity and relates to DNA, so could the Grail be within the DNA that relates to specific bloodlines? DNA does not neccesarily follow a linear path line, it is metaphysical, and can (and will) jump in and out of bloodlines of specific peoples (traits) such as those being of certain bloodlines; the Mary Magdalene line and the Jesus line. These people (traits) of these lines are often the ‘keepers of the secrets’. It is important to stop thinking in linear, mundane earthly terms and to start thinking in metaphysical/dimensional terms.”

QUEST 28: BRITTANY: FRANCE

MONDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 2019

Monday 4th Nov: Chartres Cathedral: So after a truly lovely stay in Autun, full of revelations, surprises and more dots to join on our Grail Quest, we sadly left our lovely chateau for an early start on a four hour drive to Chartres Cathedral, hoping to arrive at about 12pm. The weather was divine and the drive enjoyable and we arrived to see the catherdral bathed in bright sunlight, with time enough for a well deserved lunch before visiting the cathedral. The cathedral has a wonderfully comanding view over its surrounding and looked stunning bathed in sunlight.

This cathedral, shown above, is also known as Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres and is actually the ‘real’ Notre Dame; the real ‘our lady’. Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in France. It is located about 90 km (56 mi) southwest of Paris and is famous world-wide for its  cathedral. Mostly constructed between 1193 and 1250, the Gothic cathedral is in an exceptional state of preservation.  Much of the old town, including the library associated with the School of Chartres, was destroyed by bombs in 1944. Chartres has an interesting history, read more in the link below, and was one of the principal towns in Gaul of the Carnutes, a Celti . In the Gallo-Roman period, it was called Autricum, name derived from the river Autura (Eure), and afterwards civitas Carnutum, “city of the Carnutes”, from which Chartres got its name. The city was burned by the Normans in 858, and unsuccessfully besieged by them in 911.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartres

Chartres and its stunning cathedral

The Cathedral is very famous for its rose windows and of course it’s labyrinth, which was sadly covered with chairs the day we visited, only being removed on certain occasions. However the outside and in of this magnificant building is covered with much beauty. The cathedral is well-preserved for its age: the majority of the original stained-glass windows survive intact, while the architecture has seen only minor changes since the early 13th century. The building’s exterior is dominated by heavy flying buttresses which allowed the architects to increase the window size significantly, while the west end is dominated by two contrasting spires; a 105-metre (349 ft) plain pyramid completed around 1160 and a 113-metre (377 ft) early 16th-century Flamboyant spire on top of an older tower. Equally notable are the three great façades, each adorned with hundreds of sculpted figures illustrating key theological themes and narratives.  Since at least the 12th century the cathedral has been an important destination for travellers. It remains so to the present, attracting large numbers of Christian pilgrims, many of whom come to venerate its famous relic, the Sancta Camisa, said to be the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary at Christ’s birth, as well as large numbers of secular tourists who come to admire the cathedral’s architecture and historical merit.

At least five cathedrals have stood on this site, (read much more in the link below) each replacing an earlier building damaged by war or fire. The first church dated from no later than the 4th century and was located at the base of a Gallo-Roman wall; this was put to the torch in 743 on the orders of the Duke of Aquitaine. The second church on the site was set on fire by Danish Pirates in 858. This was then reconstructed and enlarged by Bishop Gislebert, but was itself destroyed by fire in 1020. A vestige of this church, now known as Saint Lubin Chapel, remains, underneath the apse of the present cathedral. It took its name from Lubinus, the mid-6th-century Bishop of Chartres. It is lower than the rest of the crypt and may have been the shrine of a local saint, prior to the church’s re-dedication to the Virgin Mary.

The Grail Clues of Chatres Cathedral

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartres_Cathedral

As far as our Quest goes there is a connection to Johanns Desposyni here (47th GGF) (505-590). There are three paintings of a particular interest here to us and importantly two important clues in our Grail Quest. The rose window is stunning; the rose being very important to the Templars and Craft folks; connecting to ‘Life’ on many deep and symbolic levels. Sadly though the cathedral itself has lost most of the energy that it would once have had, dissipated over time by human interaction, i would guess, but never the less i was thrilled and honoured to have seen the grail clues for myself, although only a part of the bigger picture; i was humbled to take my stand amongst rising clouds and gleaming chalices….

Grail Bloodline Connection:

  • Johanns Desposyni here (47th GGF) (505-590)

We left Chatres after a lovely few hours and some well deserved retail therapy and headed off on the road again to Boussac, Bretagne. Four hours later we arrived at our next charming destination in Boussac, a rather lovely flat right next to the local church; our home for the next three nights.

Redon Abbey, Redon: After a fairly leisurly start to the day we journeyed in the sunshine for about an hour and a half to reach Reddon to visit Reddon Abbey. Redon is a  commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in northwestern France. It borders the Morbihan and Loire-Atlantique departments. It is situated at the junction of the Oust and Vilaine rivers and  Nantes-Brest canal, which makes it well known for its autumn and winter floods. Very little information exists about this area before 832, however it would seem that there was a parish by the name of Riedones which gave the town its name. In 832, Conwoion, a Breton monk with the help of the Carolingian Emperor Loues le Pieux founded the abbey of Saint-Sauveur de Redon. Today, documents relating to the life of the abbey still exist. In the Middle Ages, Redon benefited from maritime commerce due to its location on the Vilaine. It is a very lively and interesting looking town with lots to see and do with some lovely old shopping streets. Even at the time of year we were there, the town was alive with plenty of tourists, and i would imagine the streets to be really buzzing and packed in the summer months.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redon,_Ille-et-Vilaine

Redon Abbey, or Abbey of Saint-Sauveur, Redon (‘Abbey of the Holy Saviour’) is a former Benedictine abbey founded in 832 by Saint Conwoion, at the point where the Oust into the  Vilaine, on the border between Nesstria and Brittany. The abbey reached its height during the late 11th century and the 12th century, when it governed 27 priories and 12 parishes throughout Brittany, and was a popular pilgrimage destination. The monastery consisted of a dormitory, gatehouse, guesthouse, an infirmary and a garden, where Saint Condeloc worked: among other things he dismissed a plague of caterpillars by an appeal to the Holy Trinity. The former chapter house is now a separate chapel. The crossing tower and parts of the porch are Romanesque, of the 11th century. The nave, with an octagonal cupola, was extended in the 12th century in the Gothic style, and the transept and the cloister were also added then.  A fire in 1780 damaged the nave, and it was rebuilt shorter than it had been previously. During restorations in 1950 medieval frescos were revealed.

Beautiful artworks and grail secrets hidden within the peace of Redon Abbey

From a Craft/Templar perspective the abbey had an amazing ‘feel’ to it and I always think that abbeys do have a different feel to them than churches, a different vibe. See our video below for a lovely tour around with some beautiful chanting in the background; one gets a true sense of days gone by when the monks would have been around. In the pas,t the the whole area would have been under the Roman command and later on under the Knights Templar command. There are many beautifully stunning, and i would guess priceless artworks in the abbey.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redon_Abbey

The third clue to the Grail is here, making this a very special place indeed and also another dot to join up. From Chartres Catherdral to Redon Abbey, grail secrets revealed… There are also some rather suprising ‘finds’ here, if one knows where to look; a shield with an inverted cross that connects to an apostle which has nothing to do with satanism, or the anti-christ as portrayed in the movies, for they are all red herrings within time. We were lucky today, within the abbey for we timed it well, lots of school trips were bustling about outside waiting to enter, yet we managed to find a lovely peaceful slot in time. When one walks around there are lots of little altars and chapels, often to our lady, and various saints, all giving thanks. We filmed a wonderful painting (see above in the photos) of clouds descending from heaven, with ‘Magdalene’ (?) passing the child to one of the ‘wise men’ as it were; a wonderful representation of certain aspects of how things were.

Redon Abbey & the view from St Michaels Mount

Before leaving we had a splendid lunch in a rather swish resturant followed by a stroll around the lovely old streets of Redon. A good day…..

Grail Bloodline Connections:

  • Connects to the Fordham Line
  • Adalrad was born here (37th GGF) 840-904

Saint Malo Church, Dinan: After another short drive of just over an hour, we arrived at Saint Malo Church in the lively town of Dinan; a walled Breton town and a commune in the Cotes-d’Armor department in northwestern France. The town has an exceptional setting upon the hillside overlooking the river Rance. The area alongside the River Rance is known as the port of Dinan and is connected to the town by the steep streets Rue Jerzual and its continuation outside the walls, the Rue de Petit Fort.  It is a lovely medieval town on the hilltop, and has many fine old buildings, some of which date from the 13th century. The town retains a large section of the city walls, part of which can be walked round.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinan

There is not much about this large, almost cathedral-like church on the internet but i managed to source a few  details. The church of Saint Malo in Dinan was built in 1490 on land located inside the ramparts of the town to replace a more exposed church outside the walls that had been destroyed. The choir, apse and transept were built during the 15th century in a flamboyant Gothic style. By the end of the 16th century, the nave was still incomplete and hard to imagine, the church had a simple thatched roof.

The architecture inside & out Saint Malo Church is stunning and would rival any cathedral

During the French Revolution almost all the original furnishing and religious works of art were destroyed, burned or sold and the church was amazingly converted into a stable and forge. During this period the nave and the tower were destroyed by a fire. The church eventually fell into ruin but it was re-consecrated in 1803 and reconstruction and restoration work began in 1808. and eventually completion in 1885. But we did have a good stroll around, there are some amazing windows here; one in particular. A beautiful building with some amazing artworks, although not directly seen as clues on our grail quest, but the Templar symbology is undeniable.

Many wonderful treasure are to be inside the church with some stunning stained-glass windows

https://loirevalleyexperiences.blogspot.com/2014/11/church-on-sunday-saint-malo-dinan.html

The town is abundant with interesting and tempting shops selling much fine Breton produce and of course gifts galore. We stayed awhile here and enjoyed a nice coffee,  some wonderful retail therapy buying local produce and goods. It had turned out to be a rater wet day, causing the whole town to glisten in the rain!

Grail Bloodline Connections:

  • Has associations with Knight Alain De Bretagne (42nd GGF) 680-740, whom lived at Dinan and was born in Ilk-et-Villaine.

Church of Saint Michael, Saint Malo: We had a short night-time drive right out to the coast at Saint Malo, Bretan; an historic sea port in Brittany on the Channel coast. It is a walled city with a long history of piracy (interesting) earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the Allies heavly bombarded Saint Malo, which was garrisoned by German troops. Today it is a popular tourist centre, with a ferry terminal serving Portsmouth, Jersey, Guernsey and Poole.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Malo

Sadly it was quiet late and very dark when we arrived so we kind of had to play it by ear a bit to get our bearings. We found our way to the beach but it was very cold, very dark and extremely windy, but spectacular non-the-less, so worth a stop to admire the view. We eventually found the cathedral of the town, down some small side streets, but expectedly it was closed, yet i managed a few night-time shots. Even though I was glad we found it, i am not actually sure whether this was where we were actually meant to be or not. It was cold and very dark so not a time for exploring; it was an adventure anyway!

On looking further at our info the Church of Saint Michel de Rotheneuf was also listed on our agenda; just slightly along the coast, so if ever we go back in daylight we can decide,   but on the other hand they say that everything is meant to be, everything happens for a reson and maybe we were meant to be where we were after all…..

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/things-to-do/places/1283414?s=4&_set_bev_on_new_domain=1584215706_jkP4EzkNuRUEKRRO

Grail Bloodline Connections:

  • Has associations with Knight Alain De Bretagne (42nd GGF) 680-740.

 

“In time and space a story told
A shining challice from ages old
A kingly quest; a pot of gold
Yet only a few will forever hold”

 

challice

 

‘The Keeper of Scrolls’ March 2020

‘moon.willow@ntlworld.com’

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